Africa-Press – Botswana. Opposition MPs expressed concern about what impact on productivity paternity leave could have but the Bill passed nevertheless.
Inspite of opposition MPs protesting it, the Employment and Labour Relations Bill recently passed without any modifications made to it.
Opposition MPs had expressed skepticism over certain aspects of the Bill, mainly the paternity leave clause.
According to the preamble, the Bill aims to align with international labour standards, boost productivity, and ensure justice for all workers.
Productivity
However, productivity was precisely where opposition MPs begged to differ.
While they generally supported the Bill, they rejected the clause proposing five days of paternity leave for fathers of newborns, arguing that it could harm already poor productivity and service delivery across sectors in Botswana.
Debating the Bill this week, the MP for Okavango East, Gabotsholwe Disho (BCP), asserted that granting paternity leave could negatively impact work efficiency.
For married men only
“Granting paternity leave to fathers will create a vacuum in the workplace, thereby reducing productivity,” he said. “This decrease in output could even threaten the survival of some businesses.”
The MP for Kgatleng East, Mabuse Pule (BDP), echoed Disho’s concerns but said paternity leave may offer certain advantages. However, he insisted that only legally married men should be eligible for such leave.
“Giving all fathers this leave would go against our cultural norms,” said Pule. “In Setswana culture, it is considered taboo for men to see newborn babies.
Fathers have nothing to recover from
“Infact, traditionally, men do not even go near the newborn. So, granting this leave broadly would be contrary to our customs and practices.”
Opposition Chief Whip Caterpillar Hikuama (BCP) also questioned the rationale for paternity leave.
He queried: “Why do we want to grant men this leave when they are not the ones giving birth or needing recovery? Maternity leave is necessary because women need to heal after childbirth, not men.”
Serious disruptions
Hikuama, who is the MP for Maun West, also expressed the view that paternity leave could cause serious disruptions in the workforce.
“Imagine if 100 women give birth. That would mean 100 men also going on leave. This would leave a significant gap in the workplace, especially in our already strained economy,” he said.
Despite these concerns, the motion passed with the paternity leave clause intact.
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